PSP Go gets free games, DSi sees international price drop

Sony is offering up some heavy PSP deals, with a new line of $10 games and …

In an attempt to bolster sales of the PSP and PSP Go, Sony has decided to offer customers cheap—and in some cases free—games. Nintendo, meanwhile, will be offering price cuts on its handhelds later this month in both Japan and the UK. What does this mean for these systems? Let's take a look.

For North America, SCEA is launching a new line called PSP Favorites, which will offer a number of popular games for $9.99. These include:

Ape Escape: On the Loose

Buzz! Master Quiz

Hot Shots Golf Open Tee

LocoRoco 2

Patapon 2

PixelJunk Monster Deluxe

SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo

Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow

Twisted Metal: Head On

Justice League Heroes

Manhunt 2

Midway Arcade Treasures: Extended Play

Pinball Hall of Fame: Williams Collection

Silent Hill: Origins

Sims 2

The Warriors

In addition to the Favorites line, Sony is also expanding the $20 Greatest Hits line with four new titles: Gran Turismo, LittleBigPlanet, Resistance: Retribution, and Secret Agent Clank. In even bigger news, everyone who buys a PSP Go between June 1 and March 31 of next year will get three free games: LBP, Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters, and SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Fireteam Bravo 3.

Europeans, meanwhile, will be treated to an even sweeter deal, as new PSP Go owners will get 10 free titles. The deal starts on June 9 and will be running for a "limited time." The 10 free games include:

The message is a simple one: Sony needs to sell some PSP Go systems. Offering free games, especially first-party games, is a great way to add perceived value to the bundles without costing Sony much.

Sony isn't the only one offering up deals in the handheld market, however, as Nintendo has announced DS price cuts for both the UK and Japan. According to Siliconera, the DSi in Japan will drop to $164 from $207 on June 19, while the DSi XL will cost $197, down from $219. Meanwhile, MCV has confirmed that the UK will see a similar drop after June 18, though the exact amount has yet to be revealed.

Offering up 10 free games seems like a pretty desperate move for Sony, one that may not sit well with many early PSP Go adopters. But the free game offers, as well as the new Favorites line of $10 games, are pretty enticing for those who are looking to jump into the PSP waters.

Unfortunately for Sony, Nintendo doesn't have to do near as much to jumpstart the market, relying solely on a small price drop that will hopefully make its way over to North America soon. Of course, Nintendo also has the 3DS to look forward to this year, so giving consumers more reason to grab a DSi system now is a savvy move.